Water Room

SHORTLISTED ENTRY:

NATIONAL GALLERY OF VICTORIA 2016 SUMMER ARCHITECTURE COMMISSION

Water is an important element in meeting places in Australia and the gallery. The Yarra, moats, the water wall, and mist are key elements of the gallery experience. Celebrated in Water Room as a place maker and a key architectural element of a temporal and ethereal meeting space. Visitors will observe a transient and ever-changing space of light and moving water as walls of water cascade from a mirrored dish.

Water Room is a mysterious volume defined by dancing light and movement. Animated by use and the movement of gently falling water. It reflects and distorts visitors creating a new external elliptical gallery space with a 360 degree impressionist image of the surroundings rendered in light.

A landscape element constructed with large scale CNC digital fabrication techniques and recycled water. A surreal folie creating a refreshing and cool meeting place in the heat of the city.

An internal perimeter bench defines an elliptical forum. A ripple of bluestone creates ample seating and flexibility to accommodate a range of uses. From Yoga to Friday night DJ's the space transforms and the dynamic of water shapes and reflects the mood.